


Fully defined

by sevenofspade



Category: Batgirl (Comics)
Genre: Gen, POV Outsider, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 19:40:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenofspade/pseuds/sevenofspade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brenda makes tea, Cass' brother comes to visit and superheroes happen in the background.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fully defined

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Runespoor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runespoor/gifts).



> This takes place in an AU where Blüdhaven was less destroyed than in canon.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Thanks to [Malkontent](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Malkontent/pseuds/Malkontent) for the beta and [Arithanas](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithanas/pseuds/Arithanas) for the title.

Back Before, Bludhaven had a Batgirl.

Then Batgirl went away and the world ended. When she came back, she was just the Bat, an urban legend or a copycat. People thought their Batgirl was dead. Gotham got its own Batgirl - a blond, talkative one, even! - and that clinched it. There was no Batgirl for Bludhaven. People mourned one more loss. They never forgot, and Batgirl became myth. There everyone had seen her or knew someone who did.

When the Bat came in, there was outrage. How dare she.

Then, those who'd seen both of them move started saying they were one and the same. You can't fake that kind of grace, they said. They were right. The Bat came forward, once, after saving a news crew. "I am Batgirl," she said. And then she proved it. She named every name, blamed every blame, told things no one else could have known. So-and-so used to deal drugs to kids. The alley behind the townhouse is a CCTV blindspot. April 18 five years ago, the Rubenstein's building burned down. And on and on and disappeared into the night.

The next day, all over the city and the ruins, graphiti bloomed. Some were simple, the outline of a Bat, some just words, "we believe", some complex, a fifteen feet tall portrait of her in her old costume, mirrored on the opposite building by her new one. They all meant the same thing.

Welcome back.

People started calling her the Bat in earnest then. She argued that her name was Black Bat when asked, but the Black never stuck. Let Gotham have its Batwomen, Batmen and Batgirls.

All Bludhaven needs is its Bat.

And if the Bat's reappearance coincided with the reappearannce of her neighbour Cass, Brenda Miller is sure that's just a coincidence.

"Hey girl," Brenda says when Cass comes in. Cass's eye is blackened and her jaw is bruised, but that's par for the course for Cass. "How did parkour go?"

"I fell again," Cass says.

You don't say. Cass is cute enough that Brenda forgives her the lie. Cass can take care of herself.

Cass sits at the table by the window, watching people go by on their way to work. She's the only one who ever has time to sit, this early in the morning. 

Brenda has been short-staffed since Before and Cass is her most reliable costumer. "Cass," Brenda asks, "have you ever been a taste tester?"

"No," Cass says. "What's a taste tester?"

"I'm ordering tea from a new place in Wisconsin and I'd like an outside opinion on it," Brenda replies. New place might be stretching it a bit. It's where the Ohio old place's former manager moved.

"Okay." Cass sounds hesitant, like Brenda just offered her the keys to the kingdom and she doesn't know where the door is yet. "When do I start?"

"It should get here next week," Brenda says. "I'll let you know."

Cass nods.

In the background, the local news channel announces that the Joker has been sighted in downtown Blüdhaven. Like they don't have enough trouble with their own weirdoes, let alone Gotham's.

"My brother," she says, "he might be coming here when I'm not."

"You going somewhere? And do you want me to point him away or towards you?" Cass never mentionned a brother before. She doesn't talk much about family.

"To me," Cass says. "I think maybe we need to talk. And not going, but will be busy."

Brenda nods. "Take care."

She doesn't see Cass for a couple of days after that, but the news says the Bat is tracking the Joker, so Brenda's not worried.

On Thursday, she emails the Wisconsin place to let them know her order isn't in yet.

On Saturday, they let her know that's normal and that they'll send it as soon as this freak snowfall abates.

On Tuesday, Cass' brother comes in. He's mixed race, like she is, but takes more after their father. It's only after she's identified him as Cass' brother that she notices that, though. He walks like Cass does, like the world has already thrown its worst at him and he was not impressed. He has blue eyes, a badly dyed white streak in his hair and something in the shape of his mouth that is exactly like Cass'.

"Hi," Brenda says, "can I get you anything?" It's just good business to see if she can sell him anything before pointing him towards Cass, really.

"Have you got tea?" He sounds unsure. It's just tea, buddy, chill.

"It is a tea shop," she tells him. 

He shrugs. 

"Well, your sister likes assam." She reaches for it.

"My sister?" He says it like he thinks she has surveillance cameras on him. He sneers. "I don't have a sister."

"You're not related to Cass? She said her brother'd be dropping by," Brenda says. She doesn't like the look on his face and her hand finds the panic button under the counter. She doesn't press it yet. But. Just in case.

"Oh," he says and his scowl melts, leaving him looking much younger than she thought he was. "No, we're not related by blood."

"But you are her brother?" She pours the assam in a cup and shoves the cup at him.

He takes it and almost drops it instantly. Brenda tends to forget that most people can still feel heat with their hands. He sets it back down on the counter, grabs some paper towels and wraps them around it as he picks it up again. "I," he says, "I guess, yeah."

Brenda gives him direction to Cass' place, but she texts Cass that he's coming over. You know. Just in case.

On Wednesday, the tea is on its way and the Red Hood has come to Blüdhaven.

On Thursday evening, the breaking news is live from the townhouse, and on mute, as always. There's the Joker, the Bat, Red Hood, and some guy with a green cloak on the roof. They're arguing. Whatever Green Cloak is saying has red Hood angry. He's very demonstrative in his anger, and Brenda is surprised that no one has been shot yet. Isn't that the Red Hood's thing?

How Gothamites manage to keep track of the peculiarities of all their vigilantes, Brenda will never know. The only decent one they've got is Nightwing and frankly he's been going down the drain ever since he moved back there.

Green Cloak holds out a gun to Red Hood and at that point Brenda loses track, because her tea delivery is here.

By the time she's done, Green Cloak has been shot, there are ninjas after the Joker and the Bat has Red Hood in a headlock. The feed is cut soon after that.

The next morning, both Cass and her brother show up in her shop, demanding more assam.

She provides.

There are bruises around the brother's throat and his fingers look broken and hastily reset. Cass looks unharmed, but there's blood under her fingernails.

"The new tea's in," Brenda tells Cass. "Are you still up for taste testing?"

"Can Jason come?" Cass' smile is bright and hopeful.

"I don't see why not," Brenda says.


End file.
